Straight face isn't my style at all, either. More giant giddy smile for most of my acts (except Frida, and except if I'm super-nervous and forget to smile). I debuted my new giant tissue paper pompom act to Adrian Belew's Oh Daddy, which is a super bubbly fun song and it would've been hard not to smile while dancing to it. Here is the costume preview for that act, if you'd like a closer look.
I am always the first one backstage, because I am nothing if not prompt. Two and a half years of walking almost a mile to school rain or shine slightly uphill pushing a stroller and we have never been tardy. That's how prompt I am. It happens to also be good for when you have two giant, ruffly costumes you need to stow before the dressing room fills up, and if your feet need a microphone check.
Being there early is also great when you assume you're doing one act first, but then realize you're doing the other. Actually, there was nothing great about that, but I worked it out. There are so many wonderful ladies backstage helping each other out. I love it back there. The photo directly below is of me with the "other" Yve, Eve Von Gelica. She is amazing!
I closed the first set with my pompom debut, and closed the show with my flamenco act, which is just my favorite thing to do ever.
David couldn't come to the show because Stella was sick, but I did have five people in the audience cheering me on, including dear friend/nanny Anna and her boyfriend, who provided the only photographic evidence of the pompom act ever happening. I included some rough, ROUGH video stills because you can still see the gestures of my dancing, which I really like.
Oh, check out how close to my original sketch my costume turned out this time! That almost never happens.
I found my favorite false eyelashes in my underwear drawer that morning, only days after David knocked the box of my unfavorite eyelashes into the toilet. When a door closes, a window opens?
Curtain call. I just threw my shawl over and ran back onstage. You know what was awesome? Coming offstage after my act to an EMPTY dressing room. Sometimes there's not a lot of time to watch each other perform, but if you're the last act, everyone has time to get out into the audience!
Also in the audience was new acquaintance/amazing writer/inspiring lady Rhea, who writes the blog thirtythreadbaremercies. Her blog is a great and honest read about being a woman. I was so happy she and her friend made it to the first half of the show. She wrote about her thoughts on the show in this post entitled Burlesque Your Way to Body Image Health, which is an account of what she saw at the show and her thoughts on body image (a recurring topic on her blog).
My last two shows for the next few months are coming up soon. I will be at the Elbo Room with Betty on December 11th and at Hemlock Tavern performing in a new group called Bubbles on Fire on December 21st, the night before my mother arrives for the holiday! Wish she could make it, I know she would have so much fun. I hope you can make it if you're in the Bay Area. Burlesque is an art form, it really is. It's a way to express ourselves. So, come support the arts and laugh your head off while you're doing it!
You must have been great! will i be seeing you perform on tuesday?
ReplyDeleteYES! SO glad you'll be there, why aren't you on the bill too? xo
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